Venetian blind bracket



y 14, 1940 H. K. LoRENTzEN VENETIAN BLIND. BRACKET Filed oct. 11, 1958 v l Z RM. Tv... #OMM 6%. 7 O2, d 5/0 mZ M 2 d e 5 r mi R 2 9 o my. Yz f a wn j ,M @www f Wl: w l m H am .v Ww gw a Patented May 14, 194@ 2,200,510 VENETIAN BLIND BRACKET Hans K. Lorentzen, Montclair, N. J.

Application October- 11,

11 Claims.

This invention relates to Venetian blinds, and more particularly to mounting brackets which are aflixed adjacent to the top of a window frame for supporting a Venetian blind.

Ordinarily, a Venetian blind is detachably suspended from a head-bar that is aixed adjacent to the top of a window frame. In some instances this head-bar, or suspension bar, is omitted and the blind suspended directly from l the window frame. 'I'his has resulted in the upper slat of the blind (the tilt slat, or tiltbar) being sometimes designated as the head-bar, with corresponding confusion of terms. be understood, however, that in this specification, the term head-bar is employed in accordance with the more frequent usage to designate the suspension bar that is located above the tilt-bar of the blind.

In many instances the head-bar is mounted on brackets, one placed on either side of the window frame. Associated with the head-bar is mechanism for tilting the blind and adjusting its height; and frequently this mechanism is concealed by a valance, sometimes in the form of a 26 board.

The general object of the present invention isl A to provide an inexpensive, mechanically adequate bri-Lf Laet for mounting a Venetian blind head-bar and valance.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a bracket which can be economically and satisfactorily fabricated from sheet metal on a quantity production basis.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a bracket which can be used for either inside or outside .mounting of. a Venetian blind.'- In so-called inside mounting, the Venetian blind hangs within the window frame, with the front edges of the untilted slats approximately flush with the front face of the window frame. In so-called outside" mounting, the slats of the blind are longer than the distance between the jambs of the window frame; and the blind hangs on the room side of the window frame, though adjacent to the window frame.

The drawing shows a left-hand bracket embodying the present invention, i. e., a bracket for supporting the left-hand ends of the headbar and valance as viewed from the room side of the window. It will be understood that a right-hand bracket is also used with each Venetian blind to support the right-hand end of the suspension bar and valance. However, only the left-hand bracket has been .specically disclosed since it will be understood that the right-hand bracket It is to v 193s, serial No. 234,342

l is of the same construction but of. opposite hand.

Fig. 1 of the drawing is an isometric view of the bracket showing a fragment of the valance in dot dash lines.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the bracket with a 5 head-bar shown in cross section. The head-bar is shown in an intermediate position which it occupies .during its movement into final position on the bracket.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the bracket, showing l0 in cross section the suspension bar and valance as supported by the bracket.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary isometric view showing details of a swinging flange which retains the valance in mounted position. l Fig. 5 is a detailed view of certain parts as seen from the side ofthe bracket opposite to that shown in Fig. 3.

A flat stamped sheet metal plate I0 is provided at its rear edge with a vertical flange I I and at its 20 front edge with a vertical ange I2 (Fig. 3). Flange II is integral withvthe plate I0, but flange I2 is movably attached to the plate, as will be explained later.

Welded or otherwise ,suitably secured to the 25 side of plate I0 is a sheet metal stamping I5 of inverted L-shape, having horizontal Wings I6 and I1 and vertical wings I8 and I 9a. All of wings I6, I1, I8 and I9a project laterally from plate I0,

perpendicularly thereto, in the same direction as 30.

flanges II and I2. At vI9 the metal of L-shaped plate I5 is pressed to form a guide channel as best seen in Fig. 1. Before stamping I5 is welded toplate I0, a vertically extending keeper 20 is positioned in the guideway I9 so that it will be 35 vertically slidable yin the guideway after the stamping I5 has been welded in place. At its top keeper 20 is provided with a laterally extending finger 2|, and at its bottom it is provided with a laterally extending nger 22a. Both of these 40 fingers extend laterally from the plate I0 inthe same direction as flanges II and I2.

If desired, the metal of stampingY I5 at the guideway I9 may be formed (optionally) into a Aspring nger 22, which frictionally engages the sliding keeper 20. 'I'he shank of keeper 20 lmay (optionally) be provided with an aperturev 20a whichrecelves finger 22 and relieves the spring pressure thereof whilethe stamping I5 is being welded to plate I0. Also one or more apertures such as 20h may (optionally) be provided along keeper shank 20 to make snap engagement with spring finger 22 when the keeper finger 2I is depressed into placein the top groove of head-bars of different standard heights.

Flange I2 is part of a swinging member designated as a whole by 23. This member has a second iiange 25 which lies against the surface of plate III. The upper end of ange 25 is provided with a curved slot 26, pierced by the shank of a rivet pin 21 which is affixed to plate I0. Thus member` 23 is swingably secured to plate l0 by a pin-and-slot connection formed by pin 21 and slot 26. The lower end of flange 25 is formed into a laterally projecting finger 28 which enters a notch 29 in the forward vertical edge of plate I0 when member 23 is in vertical position; see Figs. 1, 3, and 5. The lower end of flange I2 is formed into an L-shaped -spring finger 30, the end portion of which is of reduced width and fits in cutout 3i in the bottom of flange IBa. A protuberance 32 projects upwardly from spring finger 30 and snaps, or latches, behind flange I 9a when the swinging member 23 is moved into vertical position.

When the bracket is placed in position for an inside mounting, it is secured to the side face of the window jamb by means `of screws inserted through suitable holes such as 34 (two shown). When the bracket is placed in position for an outside mounting, it is secured to the room side of the window frame by means of screws placed through holes 35, 35 in flange II.

When member 23 is swung upwardly into a horizontal position and also shifted upwardly as an entirety by means of slot 26, it assumes the position shown in Fig. 2. This positioning of swinging member 23 permits head-bar 38 to be moved sidewise into position on the bracket by movement in the direction of arrow 39 (Fig. 2). It will be noted that the upward movement of the swinging member 23 by virtue of the pin-andslot connectlon'at 26, 21 provides the necessary clearance for the insertion of the head-bar 38 beneath the flange I2. As the head-bar is being inserted, the keeper 20 is, of course, in its uppermost position. With the head-bar in final position on flanges I6 and I1, the keeper 20 is pulled downwardly by grasping finger 22a, thus moving finger 2l into the conventional groove 40 in the top of the head-bar. After a Venetian blind (not shown) has been suspended from the head-bar 38 in a conventional manner, a valance 42 may be placed in position against vertical flanges I8 and I8a. The swinging member 23 is then swung downwardly with movement of the slot 26 on pin 21 toward the position shown in Fig. 4. Further inward movement of member 23 causes finger 28 to enter slot 28 and thereby prevent downward movement of member 23. Also protuberance 32 snaps behind flange Isa, thereby latching the member 23 in the position shown in Fig. 3. To remove the valance, pressure is applied to finger III in the direction of the arrow I4 (Fig. 3) there- 00 by depressing spring finger 30 and permitting the valance to be released. Without pressure in the direction of the arrow M it is very dimcult to unlatch finger 30 from flange Isa.

It will be seen that horizontal flanges I6 and u I1 form means for supporting the head-bar 38.

Keeper 20 prevents accidental shifting of the head-bar on the supporting flanges I6 and I1. Vertical flanges I8 and I9a constitute means for positioning the valance. "The swinging member 1 23, and especially flange I2 thereof, constitutes means for retaining the valance in final position.

In compliance with the patent statutes, I have disclosed the best form which I have contemplated applying my invention, but it will be understood that the disclosure is illustrative of the invention and not limiting.

What is claimed is:

1. A Venetian blind bracket comprising: a vertical plate to be aflixed adjacent to a window frame, head-bar supporting means Iprojecting from one side of the plate, valance-positioning means projecting from the same side of the plate and engaging the valance at a. point removed from its upper and lower edges, and releasable valance-retaining means spaced forwardly from said positioning means to secure a valance between said retaining means and said positioning means, said retaining means being attached to said plate adjacent to the forward edge thereof.

2. A Venetian blind bracket as in claim 1, in which the plate is of stamped sheet metal, and in which there is secured thereto a stamping having flange means constituting the head-bar supporting means and the valance-positioning means.

3. A Venetian blind bracket as in claim l, in which a stamping is secured to the plate, the stamping including the head-bar supporting means and the valance-positioning means, the stamping also including a vertical guideway and having a head-bar keeper slidable in said guideway.

4. A Venetian blind bracket as in claim l, in which the valance-retaining means is swingably attached to the plate, and means are provided to latch the valance-retaining means in valancesecuring position.

5. A Venetian blind bracket as in claim 1, in

which there is a pin-and-slot connection between the plate and the valance-retaining means, to permit the valance means to be swung outwardly and shifted upwardly to provide clearance for the insertion of a head-bar.

6. A Venetian blind bracket as in claim l, in which there is a connection between the plate and the valanceretaining means providing outward andl upward movement of the valanceretaining means that gives clearance for the insertion ofv a head-bar, and in which there is means to prevent downward movement of the valance-retaining means when it is in valancesecuring position.

7. A Venetian blind bracket comprising: a vertical plate having laterally extending vertical anges extending along its front and rear edges, the flanges. projecting on the same side of the plate, the rear flange being integral with the plate and the front ange being movably attached to the plate; and valance-positioning means spaced rearwardly from the front flange to cooperate therewith, in securing a valance.

8. A Venetian blind bracket comprising: a vertical plate having a notch in its forward edge, valance-positioning means spaced from said forward edge, swingable valance-retaining means attached to the plate, and a finger on said valance-retaining means entering said notch when the valance-retaining means is in valance-securing position.

9. A Venetian blind bracket comprising: a vertical plate to be afiixed adjacent to a window frame, head-bar supporting means projecting from one side of the plate, valance-positioning means projecting from the same side of the plate, and releasable valance-retaining means spaced from said positioning means to secure a valance between said retaining means and said positioning means; said construction being one in which a stamping is secured to the plate, the stamping ,u

8,200,510 including the head-bar supporting means and thevalance-positioning means, the stamping also including a vertical guideway and having a head.

bar keeper slidable in said guideway.

10. A Venetian blind bracket comprising: a vertical plate to be atlixed adjacent to a window frame, head-bar supporting means projecting' from one side of the plate, Valance-positioning means projecting fromthe same side of the plate,

vand'releasable valance-retaining means spaced from said positioning means to securev a valance between said retaining means and said positioningmeans; said construction being one in which there is apin-and-slot connection between the plate and the valance-retaining means, to permit the valance means to be swung outwardly and shifted upwardly to provide clearance for the insertion of a head-bar.

11. A Venetian blind bracket comprising: a. vertical plate to be atlixed adjacent to a window frame, head-bar supporting means projecting from, one side of 'the plate, valance-positioning means projecting from-the same side of the plate, and releasable valanceLretaining means spaced from said positioning means to secure a valance between said retaining means and said positioning means; said construction being one in which thereis a connection between the plate and the valance-retaining means providing outward and upward movement of the valance-retaining means that gives clearance for the insertion of a headv bar, and in which there is means to prevent downward movement of the valance-retaining means when itis in valance-securing position.

HANS K. LORENTZEN. 

